Dining Hall sends out student survey

By: Louisa Woltermann
Twitter: @louisa_wolt
Email: woltermannl@findlay.edu

At the beginning of October, Dining Services sent out a survey in the form of a UF Update. The survey was conducted by a third party and contained questions that allowed students to evaluate the dining options at the University of Findlay.
David Harr, director of Dining Services at UF, explains that Dining Services is always trying to get better.
“We use the survey results to see areas we can enhance [and] areas we are strong and use the information to plan for continuous improvement,” Harr said. “We compare the result to the survey completed during the same time the previous year.”
Students could evaluate Henderson Dining Hall and the Refinery based on the taste of dishes, availability of healthy options, consistency of food quality, value for money and a multitude of other categories. Student rated each of these categories by selecting “very satisfied,” “satisfied,” “dissatisfied” or “very dissatisfied.” The survey also gave students a space to write their opinions about on-campus dining.
Harr states that Henderson’s most common request before the survey was sent out was to bring Jeff and the omelet bar back to breakfast. Jeff is no longer at the omelet bar due to a recent promotion. However, Harr says that Dining Services hopes to find a replacement for Jeff soon and plan to bring the omelet bar back.
Morgan Buck, a freshman at UF, has a University meal plan that allows her two meals at Henderson a day and two hundred bonus bucks a semester. Buck believes that Henderson could improve by having more pierogi days as well as by adding more options in general.
Another student at UF, Katelyn Reynolds, lives on campus but chooses not to have a meal plan. Reynolds says this is because it is cheaper for her to not have a dining plan. Reynolds had a meal plan her first two years at UF and states that the food on campus could improve if Henderson refreshed their salads more often.
For every student who took dining services’ survey, one dollar was donated to the Ann E. Bonifas Scholarship. The Ann E. Bonifas Scholarship was established in 1997 by the friends and family of Ann E. Bonifas. Bonifas was the Director of Dining Services at UF from 1991 to 1997. This scholarship is awarded to a UF student who has a 2.5 grade point average or higher, is enrolled in at least 12 or more credit hours and is employed for 10 or more hours by the provider of food services at UF.
Buck both received and completed the survey sent out by Dining Services.
“I want Henderson to get better,” Buck said. “I’m going to be here for another three years [and] I want to see some change.”
Dining Services also gathers research on UF’s dining establishments through focus groups. The information is then discussed by the Students Particularly Interested in Culinary Excellence (SPICE) committee. Students can become involved in SPICE through invitation or selection by the current SPICE committee.

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